The Guinness Book of World Records tells us that the oldest cat ever was a Texan named Creme Puff who survived for 38 years and 3 days, succumbing to old age in 2005. Her human parent, Jake Perry, also cared for the previous world record holder, Grandpa Rex Allen, who died at the age of 34.
How you can help your cat live a long and happy life?
As they do in humans, genetics play a role in feline longevity. It may be just 20%-30% of what determines how long your cat lives though. Exercise, diet, socialization, and environment could all play a much larger role.
Breed - The Domestic Shorthair, the Siamese, and the Russian Blue often top the list of longest-lived cat breeds.
Exercise - Help your cat stay active with chasable toys and regular playtime. Exercise remains important even though a senior cat enjoys more sleep than he used to.
Diet - Creme Puff, the world's oldest-ever kitty, regularly dined on bacon and eggs, asparagus, broccoli, and coffee with heavy cream. This diet may not be prescriptive for long life, however! Check with your vet or feline nutritionist about the best menu for your cat.
Environment - An enriched environment with climbing spaces, places to hide, a scratching post, and toys to hunt can keep your kitty engaged in life - and more likely to stick around for a few more years of it.
Socialization - People whose cats live to be unusually old often report a very close relationship between themselves and their cats or between their cat and another household pet.
With healthy diets, plenty to do, and a lot of love, there's no reason your cat can't expect to relish a long and happy life with you, too.
Hope all fur babies live a healthy long life.
